.44 magnum question

[Neubob]

Quick question for the revolver experts out there....

I'm looking to pick up a .44 in the next couple weeks. Not a carry gun, or something I would use for home defense(got a 12 gauge for that). More for the range, general recreation, and something pretty to look at and hold. I prefer stainless, 6-8 inches, and I like the more modern-looking frames. Rubber grips and muzzle brakes don't offend my eye. I'd like to keep it under $700, but am realistic as far as these things go.

Any suggestions?

[Captain Virgil Hilts]

Dan Wesson, if you can find one. Ruger Redhawk. Colt Anaconda. Beware the Smith and Wesson 29 and 629. Some of them are not real good, they just weren't real strong (I used up a few of them, they do not really like real upper end magnum ammunition, they develop end shake and they also rotate backwards when you fire them). Not much else if "modern" means double action.
Ruger Redhawk will be the easiest to find and afford. The Dan Wesson will be the hardest to find, as CZ bought Dan Wesson and they only make the Dan Wesson revolvers in short runs, rarely. The only Dan Wesson revolver they regularly produce is the 445 SuperMag. Great gun, but expensive to buy, and more expensive to shoot. The Colt Anaconda is hard to find, and most likely out of your price range. But the Anacondas I've seen were built to the Colt Python standard, meaning they are a tight, hand fitted gun. The NEW Smith and Wesson 629 is decent, as they have changed hands, and improved them somewhat. However, in my experience, they are not as rugged as the others, simply by design.

I suppose it is a matter of taste, but most 44 owners I know prefer full sized wood, micarta, or stag type grips. The reason being that the "rubber" tends to "grab" your hand, where the hard grips tend to rotate through it.

Porting and muzzle brakes make the damned things real loud, and this coming from a guy who likes loud guns. My 6" Dan Wesson 44VH does not have any real  serious recoil, even with near redline loads with either light or heavy bullets. The 44 tends to push and roll in recoil, it is not as sharp and snappy as a 357.

[Mr No Name]

It isnt stainless but I bought my S&W model 29 barely used for $400.

[Odee]

Double action, I'd go with Ruger Redhawk

Single action...  My choice is Ruger Super Blackhawk, Ruger Vaquero, or any of Uberti's cowboy action guns in .44 magnum.

Have owned a Super Blackhawk since 1963 with no problems whatsoever, other than a general recall to replace the transfer bar so you could safely carry 6 rounds. And Ruger paid for the postage, and repairs.

Added a Vaquero and Uberti in .45 long colt which is my prefered hiking protection.

[Blooz]

Mine was Ruger Redhawk 7 1/2 inch barrel.

Large black rubber Pachmyr grips.

Sweet shooter. Used it for deer hunting. Too heavy for much else.

Need to be careful using for home defense.

The bullets will easily penetrate the walls of a house and you could end up wiping out your neighbors.

[Sting138]

I have a Super Blackhawk and a Redhawk, I prefer the blackhawk. I have shot a Dan Wesson and it is a fine shooting gun but it's all going to depend on personal preference. I shot my friends guns before I made my buys. Try to find someone who has each and see if you can get them to let you knock off a few rounds and see how you like them. Thats what I did. Our local indoor range has a shyte load of rentals ranging from AK's, rugers, colts, you name it... Pistols, rifles, and shotguns. If you have a range nearby that offers rentals that might be a possibility for you as well. Although rental guns generally wont be in the best shape it can be worth the effort.

[lazs2]

I agree with everything the hilts said.

I just gave my Dan wesson 44 to my son.. it had a 4 and 8 inch barrel..  It is a great gun One of the most accurate 44's I have ever owned but..

I love the Ruger redhawk.   I have a 71/2 and I have another that I had cut to 4" This is perfect for me I had the hammer despured and I have real stag grips on it.  I also have a super blackhawk that has over 50,000 rounds through it.

I also agree that porting makes em too loud... it is said that it increases the sound event time which defeats hearing protectors and causes hearing damage.

The Redhawk is one tough gun..  it can be a little rough... I run about 2,000 jakedted rounds through em and that smoothes out the bore then I run almost only cast slugs in the 250 grain range at about 1100-1300 fps.

I guess my idea of a 4 inch redhawk was not so bad as I see that ruger is making one now.

I agree that the Smiths can be fragile.. they are very accurate tho... as is the anaconda.

I am looking into the Dan wesson 445 and a 4 inch barrel.. you can shoot 44 mag ammo out of it.   I hope it is no bigger than their 44.

I would say that the dan wesson is at the limit for size for me... I think that the ruger in 4 inch is perfect.  The colt and taurus are clumsy to me.

If you shoot the 44 as much as we do you need to reload.   A good all around  250 grain 44 will only cost about $4.50 a box compared to $20 off the shelf.

lazs

[Captain Virgil Hilts]

Lazs, the Dan Wesson 445 SuperMag is bigger and heavier than the Dan Wesson 44. If you feel a 6" model 44VH is on the heavy side, you will probably not like a 445 SuperMag. The longer cylinder and frame combined with some beefing up adds a good bit of weight. I'd like to have one, but they're bringing $750 and up.

[culero]

I'm a real .44MAG fan, as I understand Virgil and lazs are. I agree with them in general. My personal favorite is the Ruger Super Blackhawk 7 1/2" with Pachmayr rubber grips. I alternate between iron sights and an Aimpoint red dot sight on that pistol, both have their merits.

[lazs2]

yeah... haven't handled one but I thought that one in 4 inch might be neat for bear country...  I really don't need it and think that the dan wesson 44 in 4 inch is right at the limit of size and weight.

I have very large hands so that is not the problem.. to me, it is balance and practicality..  The ruger I cut down is pretty handy.. a true alternative to grabbing a rifle...  you can pack it without too much trouble.  with the cut down hammer and stag grips it is smallish..  in the 4 inch model 29 range.

I kinda hate it tho when someone asks us "experts".   I don't feel that I am an expert.

I am a very interested amature with a lot of experience with about 20 44 mags over the years and maybe a quarter of a million rounds of which most of em were my reloads... I shot a couple thousand a month for maybe ten years now... not so much, but there are 1,000 loaded rounds on the shelf in my reloading room and a couple thousand slugs waiting.   I have settled for two or three loadings for my 44's   one more for my brother.

250 clsw and 240 jhp slugs.  Accurate arms and 296 powder... may play with some others than 296... my 4 and 5 inch guns love aa#5 which gives a good cheap load at around 1200 fps according to the chronograph I use.

This is compared to a .45acp  that comes out of my kimber at 830 fps for a 230 grain load.

Too bad on the dan wesson...  I would by a 445 in a sec if it were the old 44 frame.

lazs

[Odee]

I am going to presume most of us are, or have been hunters of big game... and that you all realize the rule of thumb is: practice, Practice, PRACTICE with your weapon until it becomes an extension of your physical self.

Now I want to sidetrack to Home Defense by summing it up in two words.
[size-3]Frangible Ammunition[/size].  More commonly known as glaser, or hydro-shock for pistols.

Why those types of rounds?  Quite simple realy, as Blooz stated, normal rounds from 9mm up tend to keep on keeping on after they penetrate the body, a wall, or some other semi-rigid object.  Frangible ammo disintegrates to fragments on impact, distributing maximum foot pounds in a relatively small area, without retaining the "blow through" factor.

So if you have family in the next room, neighbors across the way, the bullet will rarely, if ever, leave the target zone of impact.  If it does, it never leaves that zone intact enough to be of mortal threat.  (okay even a BB at velocity can kill, but that is an extremely rare exception.)

I prefer the Mossberg .20 guage pump with 000 buck for home defense, with the .45 Kimber COP for back up.

Now about training.  Get it!  Get it as often as you can afford it!  If there is no 'combat range' available, ask the local Chief of Police/Sheriff.  Check around for any Law Enforcement Citizen programs that allow ride alongs, and show you the basics of law dogging.  Or, if none of this is available, join one of those "Action" shooter clubs.  IPSC (personally despise these guys because they shoot technology, npt the gun out the box), National Practical Shooters*something* (these guys shoot straight out the box with minor tuning), Isaac Walton League, NRA, Single Action Shooters Society (cowboys) and so on.

Or, you could just practice for any type of situation at home... ALONE and unloaded.

*meh, I talk too much*  Back on topic.

[lazs2]

my redhawk is loaded with hydroshoks at all times in the house with 2 speedloaders of hydroshoks.

Nothing wrong with a 44 mag for defense.  It is also the most fun handgun their is for plinking at all ranges.

lazs

[Odee]

Originally posted by lazs2
my redhawk is loaded with hydroshoks at all times in the house with 2 speedloaders of hydroshoks.

Nothing wrong with a 44 mag for defense.  It is also the most fun handgun their is for plinking at all ranges.

lazs

Didn't say there was anything wrong with the proper load in any weapon of home defense.  I think the .44 needing 18 rounds is a bit of overkill inside the house, unless you expect a squad to invade your home.  More suited for concealed carry with that much ammo.

That's why I like the shotgun with pistol back-up method.  If nothing else, the shotgun makes a great club, or if you have a bayonet attachment, a dandy spear.

First line of defense anywhere is personal presence.  What makes the badguys believe you mean bidness is the sound of that slide jacking forth.

[Neubob]

I like the look of the Taurus Raging Bull. I heard what you said about the clumziness, Lasz, and was hoping you might elaborate. I believe in the concept that you get what you pay for, so there must be a reason they're cheaper. Still curious as to the performance though. The chamber length seems to be an issue.

Home defense is pretty much out for this thing. I live in an apartment with very thin walls, and have a mossberg 500 in case anybody is stupid enough to assume I own anything worth breaking and entering for.

And another question that will show my ignorance....

How do revolvers in general deal with the issue of gasses leaking between the chamber and breach? I've always wondered how compression is maintained in the absence of some sort of pressure-proof seal. High speed photography shows some flame coming from this part of the gun at the moment of firing, but the vast majority still comes out the muzzle. Do the different brands deal with this phenomenon differently?

[Maverick]

For DA shooting I still prefer the S&W. The Ruger has a far stronger frame and cylinder if you intend to use hot loads. I prefer to put pachmayer style rubber grips on my hard recoil revolvers. I like the feel and it helps mitigate the recoil on my rebuilt wrist.

Decide what you want to do with the gun, hunt, hot loads, plink, competition and so on then buy the gun that fits the majority of what you want to do. Make sure it's comfortable to your hand. A handgun is about as personal a weapon as you can get and if it doesn't fit you, you won't get the full use out of it. If it's not fun to shoot, you'll just leave it in the safe and use something else that is fun to you.